Alfred Pichler

Alfred Pichler (18 December 1913 – 17 May 1992) was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Banja Luka, the first bishop of Banja Luka who was diocesan priest and the first who was born on the territory of the Diocese of Banja Luka.[1]

The Most Reverend Alfred Pichler
Bishop of Banja Luka
Diocese	Banja Luka
See	Banja Luka
Appointed	22 July 1959
In office	1959-1989
Predecessor	Dragutin Čelik
Successor	Franjo Komarica
Orders
Ordination	13 March 1937
Consecration	18 October 1959 by Franjo Šeper
Personal details
Born	18 December 1913 Oštrelj, Drvar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria-Hungary
Died	17 May 1992 (aged 78) Banja Luka, Republika Srpska
Buried	Cathedral of Saint Bonaventure, Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nationality	German
Denomination	Catholic
Parents	Anton and Matilda (née Helk) Pichler
Motto	Nec laudibus nec timore (Neither praise nor fear)

Early life

Alfred Pichler was born in Oštrelj near Drvar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Anton and Matilda (née Helk) Pichler. He had finished elementary school in Šipovo and Prijedor where he also attended six years of gymnasium, then he went to the minor seminary in Travnik. He continued studying at the University of Catholic Theology in Sarajevo where he was ordained deacon by Ivan Šarić on 20 February 1937.[1]

Priesthood

Pichler was ordained to the priesthood on 13 March 1937[2] in the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Sarajevo. He first served as a chaplain in Banja Luka, and then as a parish priest in Novi Martinac.

During the Second World War, he had to escape from Chetniks to Bosanski Aleksandrovac.[1] After the war ended, from May 1945 to March in 1946, he was situated with other Germans in a camp in Bosanski Aleksandrovac. He was administrator of parishes in Nova Topola, Bosanski Aleksandrovac and Mahovljani from the autumn 1946 until spring 1952.[1]

Communist authorities accused Pichler of "enemy propaganda" and imprisoned him until April 1954. After his release until the appointment of the bishop, he served as parish priest of Prnjavor.[1]

Episcopal ministry

On 22 July 1959, Pichler was appointed Bishop of Banja Luka[2] by Pope John XXIII. He received his episcopal consecration from Franjo Šeper, with Smiljan Franjo Čekada and Matija Zvekanović serving as co-consecrators on 18 October 1959.[2]

During his episcopal service, Bishop Pichler left a deep mark and he specially devoted himself up to the upbringing and education of priests. Thus, during his ministry, 34 priests were ordained and three priests from his diocese became bishops (Franjo Komarica, Vinko Puljić and Severin Pernek).[3]

He established 9 new parishes: Ravska (1967), Dragalovci (1970), Mariastern (1973), Odžak-Čaić (1975), Raljaš (1977), Trn (1980), Budžak (1983) and Motike (1983). He participated in the Second Vatican Council as a member of the Commission for the liturgy. Being the president of the Liturgical board of Yugoslavia he has greatly contributed the restoration of the Roman liturgy after the Council. Because he had cordial relationships with local Orthodox Christians, pope John Paul II appointed him member of the International Catholic-Orthodox episcopal commission.[3]

On 15 May 1989, he retired from the ministry and until his death remained bishop emeritus of Banja Luka. He died on 17 May 1992, and was buried two days later at the cathedral.[1]

Bibliography

• Upoznajmo što činimo, Sarajevo-Banja Luka, 1983
• Da budemo sretni, Mostar-Banja Luka, 1985

References

1. "Alfred PICHLER, rezidencijalni biskup od 1959. do 1989" (in Croatian). biskupija-banjaluka.org. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
2. "Bishop Alfred Pichler". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
3. Marić, Franjo; Orlovac, Anto (2006). Banjolučka biskupija u riječi i slici od 1881. do 2006 : povodom 125. obljetnice utemeljenja Biskupije. Banja Luka: Biskupski Ordinarijat Banja Luka. pp. 35–36. ISBN 953-97841-5-8.